Well, that was fun! It’s a good thing, too, as Rangers fans were already in mid-season form with concern based on a lackluster preseason. This is just another reminder not to make any definitive judgments on games that don’t count because the Blueshirts couldn’t have played a more complete and sound game for their first go-around.
Rather than straight recap it, though, we will once again break it down in a format that is an homage to one of my favorite Simpsons sequences of all time as we look at what went right (That’s Good!), what went wrong (That’s Bad!) and everything in between! (Can I Go Now?).
(Spoiler Alert. That’s Good will be the longest section).
THAT’S GOOD!
(Can I just write “EVERYTHING!” and move on? No? There’s a word minimum, you say? Okay, fair enough.)
SOMETHING TO PROVE: LAF AND BREAD
You could probably use that headline to describe the whole team, but Lafreniere and Panarin (albeit for different reasons) are probably the poster children for that theme. They will prove their worth with a vengeance if last night was any indication.
Laf, especially. We all know the story and the perception by now. Super-hyped as the number-one overall pick. The fanbase went wild when that ping pong ball came up with our logo. However, the results have been underwhelming when compared to that anticipation. Factor in a non-descript preseason and the whispers were becoming louder before the puck was even dropped on the season.
Defenders of Laf have always said let him roll in the top six and see what happens, and Laviolette seems to have adopted that mantra. To his credit, Lafreniere made the most of his opportunity last night. He was active all game and rewarded with the first goal as he went to the net and was found by Panarin on a sweet feed off a rebound. He didn’t get credited with an assist, but later on, he was the catalyst that generated the puck getting to Panarin for his goal, making it 3-0.
This is a team game, but there are subplots within the contests where you want to see desired results. At the end of the day, we don’t care if it’s the equipment manager who gets a hat trick as long as the Rangers win. Yet, there are scenarios throughout the season where it’s imperative for certain players to get their mojo back or, in this case, start the season off right. No one needed this more than Lafreniere, and it became a spark for an all-around game from him that we’re hoping becomes the rule instead of the exception.
Frankly, his partner in crime last night could be the key to Laf’s consistency. We saw PRIME Panarin last night, from his decision-making to his perfect snipe. To be fair, during the regular season, Panarin has little to prove. Even last season, when I didn’t think he was at his best, he STILL managed to secure 92 points. However, fans began questioning his playoff prowess once that bled into a stagnant series against the Devils. He can do nothing about that now, but I think he has another level to reach. Last night, he showed some signs that he might be sparked by having both Laf and Chytil on his line. They were clearly the best unit last night, so hopefully, this fast start is a sign of things to come. If Panarin can find another gear, we’ll all shave our heads as tribute. (I started this bald trend long ago, so I’m all for that.)
CHRIS KREIDER
Another welcome sight last night was a familiar one. Chris Kreider was a beast, and he did it using two weapons in his arsenal we’ve seen over the previous two seasons. Tip-in monster and shorthanded maven. Both were on display last night as the Rangers (wisely) got back to basics on the power play by just firing toward the net and letting Kreider do what he does best. Not to be outdone, one lasting wise thing Gallant did last season was utilize CK’s speed on the PK. It paid off again last night as Mika’s extraordinary effort led to an easy tap-in shorthanded goal by a streaking Kreider that effectively ended the game. These tools led Kreider to his 50+ goal season, and he can do so again.
DEFENSIVE STRUCTURE
I could put Laviolette and the whole coaching staff in their own category, but let’s focus on what might have been the most encouraging aspect of last night. Yes, goals are always fun, but the sound and, frankly, as-structured-as-I’ve-ever-seen-it defense last night might be the best sign of future success. The Rangers smothered a very good and potent Buffalo offense last night, whether it was the 1-3-1 design, clogging the neutral zone, or just the forecheck/backchecking game. Lav even said that he doesn’t think they have it all down yet and expects more, which should be worrisome for opponents and even more exciting for us.
TOUGHNESS/BLOCKS
Baked into that philosophy were the sacrificial blocks the team as a whole made last night. I thought I was watching the Girardi and Staal Rangers for a time there. Now, this scares me a bit (especially when you see Lindgren get hit in the hand with a shot). But he is a cyborg, and the rest of the team seems to embrace it. More importantly, except for the bad bounce of Trouba’s block for the Sabres’ lone goal, a good number of them came during important sequences in the game. I don’t want to rely on them, but it’s another positive aspect of last night’s game that has you feeling good about this team’s overall mindset.
THAT’S BAD
This will be short and sweet. Nothing will ever be perfect, but this is about as pristine a road win (against a quality opponent) as you can get in today’s NHL.
Only Trocheck’s careless penalty to give Buffalo a brief five-on-three and possible momentum ticked me off a bit. However, even that eventually led to our game-sealing shorthanded goal, so again, no complaints.
CAN I GO NOW?
- Holy cow, how about that insane hip-check on Chytil by Dahlin?? It’s totally legal, and the rare time both fanbases can appreciate some rough play without getting bent out of shape about it. We might have to change his name to Flip Chytil if we see more of that.
- Nothing to show on the scoresheet, but I really liked the play of that 3rd line. I thought they were pests all night, creating turnovers and keeping the puck in the zone. Cuylle continued his strong play from the postseason, and Wheeler was noticeable. I think they are going to be a massive asset for us and a sneaky source of offense as well.
- Special teams were stellar on both sides last night. Simplified and effective power play and an active PK. More of that, please.
- If ever a coaching staff wanted to make a great first impression, they couldn’t do better than last night. The team was prepared from the jump, executed, and was sound all night and seemed to be sparked by the structure. All the fear and trepidation of the preseason seemed to be wiped away after one period. It was only one game, but it was definitely a confidence builder.
- The next game is Saturday night in Columbus—a very winnable game.
